A group of Australian and Chinese scientists said they have developed a new method to reduce soil pollution and can generate energy in the ecosystem thanks to a sugar cane plant, called Napier grass.
Napier grass can clean contaminated soil and generate energy.
Napier grass is a perennial plant, scientifically named Pennisetum purpureum , found in many tropical grasslands in Africa.
Professor Ravi Naidu , executive director of Asia HLM Group (CRC CARE), said Napier grass can live in extremely arid areas and is very effective at absorbing heavy metals and substances. Other pollution is in the soil.
According to Professor Naidu, this grass has the effect of reducing soil pollution for two reasons. First, with hydrocarbons (mainly due to petroleum pollution), the grass takes oxygen into the soil and undergoes several steps, eventually hydrocarbon decomposes. Secondly grass can absorb and accumulate heavy metals in soil.
Researchers tested the effect of this grass in some heavily polluted areas due to mining operations in Guangdong Province (China). The results show that it can absorb copper, nickel and cadmium metals as well as zinc and lead.
Also because it has a high sugar content, Napier grass can be used in the fermentation process to produce ethanol.
The team also plans to continue testing in some other contaminated areas in China and Egypt.
" This idea is very attractive and scientifically based because in the past 5-6 years I have been working in this field, but merely studying the ability of plants to absorb heavy metals. This method went in the new direction, 'said Dr. Isa Yunusa, of the University of New England.
However, Dr. Yunusa also expressed concern that it is difficult to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of this method. According to him, its effectiveness must be evaluated based on the metal absorption capacity, the degree of tolerance of the grass in the soil with high metal content and whether the metal content in the soil is reduced to a usable level. soil after treatment for cultivation or not.
On the other hand, if toxic substances are accumulated in the plant, a new problem arises. He expressed concern that the ability of heavy metal in ethanol to be produced from Napier grass.
Dr. Naidu explained that heavy metals can be removed from residues during fermentation and during combustion of ethanol, it does not evaporate. Thus heavy metals are condensed and removed.